Educational and amusement device.



O. E. FISHER.

EDUCATIONAL AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED DEO.3,1909. I

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

3 BKEETH-BHEET 2.

2 72K flaw G. E. FISHER.

R m N. 9 N T1 N3 Mm mm m m mu 0 I u G m A U D E Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

a slums-SHEET a.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

CHARLES E. FISHER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF 10GEORGE W. DAVIS, OF HAYWARDS, CALIFORNIA.

EDUCATIONAL AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters 2mm.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnannns E. Flam-in, a citizen of the United States,and :1 romdent of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have in.- vented a-mew and useful Educational andAmusement Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device which may be employed for creating aninterest ing source of amusement and diversion at gatherings of a numberof persons, and which may be also used as a means for enging andinterestedly concentrating a fiilds mind while teaching him the lettersof It he alphabet and the numerals.

he to provide a suitably embellished device of the nature describedwhich is of such character that it will be of absorbinginterest; whichis provided with suitable means whereby amusing answers to questions maybe answered; which may be employed by a host or hostess to award prizes,and may be further used to teach a child the elements of his education.

Other objects will be in partobvious and in part pointed out.

To the end of carrying out these objects, my invention consistsessentially in a suitably colored, figured and double faced stationarydisk superposed by a similarly decorated double faced revoluble disk.

In order to enable the invention to be clearly understood and moreeasily carried into practice, I have appended hereto several sheets ofdrawings, upon which I have fully illustrated the nature of my saidimprovements.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying myinvention, assembled, showing the obverse faces of both the stationaryand the revoluble disks; Fig. 2, a similar view, showing the reversefaces thereof; Fig. 3, a fra-gmental detail, a plan, showing that art ofthe face of the sta tionary disk ii ustrated at Fi 1 which is thereinobscured by the revohfiile disk, and a small portion thereof exterior tosaid revoluble disk; Fig. 4, a. similar view of the obscured portion ofthe stationary disk shown at Fig. 2, and a small rtion thereof exteriorto the rcvolublc disk; Fig. 5.. a vertical, central section, taken inthe line 5-5 in Fig. 1 f Fig. 6, a plan view of one of principal objectof the-invention is.

the pages of the book-of questions hereinafter referred to; Fig. 7, asimilar view of a page of the book of tables, also hereinafter referredto; Fig. 8, a similar view of a page of the book of answers, likewisehereinafter referred to; and Fig. 9, a. central sectional view of amodified form 0 the device.

Before proceedin to the description I desire to state that e pictorialrepresentations and embellishments illustrated are arbitrary and otional, and may be of any desired and pre erred character;

Similar reference characters are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

2 represents a stationary disk which may be formed of metal, paier-miich pasteboard or any other suitab e material. It is provided oneach of its faces with supportlegs 3, and is centrally apertured throu ha hub or reinforce plate 4 to form a she bearing for a purpose presentlydescribed. Near its Perimeter it is provided with a plurality 0 annularseries of apertures 5, 6 and 7 unequidistant from its edge, whichapertures are adapted to selectively receive pins or pegs, 20, sec F' 5.I have illustrated the rim or border 0 its obverse face as provided witha scale 8. Just within the annular scale are represented the twelvesymbols of the zodiac, and in the same spaces, formed by the radialdivisional lines 9, ap r arbitrary letters of the alphabet. Wit in acircle 10 concentric to the one at the border are shown the numbers 1 to52 inclusive, and several arbitrary symbols. Within thecircle 10 andspaced by the lines 9 are letters corresponding to those occupying thesame spaces as do the zodiacal symbols. See Fig. 3. The names of thefour seasons appear next the center of the disk.

On the reverse of the stationary disk and at the outer portion thereof,appear the numerals 1 to 9 inclusive, as well as the capital letters ofthe com lete alphabet and arbitrary signs or sym ols, all arran edwithin a. circle formed by the border line and by a line 12. The portionwithin this line 12 is subdivided into 4 divisions, 13, 14, 15 and 16,each preferably represented by a different color, and the portion 17 isdecorated as preferred.

The obverse of the upper disk 27 is shown as imprinted with a ludicrouspictorial rep- --resentation of a cat, from the distended tail of whichprojects an arrow 18. Festoons occupy the restof this face of thercvoluble disk. The border its reverse is provided with numerals, smallletters and symbols corresponding to those on the border of the obverseface of the lower disk, while a ictorial representation of the image Bilikens is shown as occupying the central ortion. An arrow 19 is dislayed, its point reaching to the ed e of t e disk.

twill be evident from what follows that the disks are reversible-inother words, either face of the upper disk may be used with either faceof the lower one. Also, while I have illustrated the arrows as beingpainted on the upper disk, it will be understood that they may beseparate therefrom but secured thereto to revolve therewith. The upperdisk is of smaller circumference than is the lower one and is providedat its center with upwardly and downwardly extending stub-axles 21, eachof which is provided with a longitudinal groove and either of which isadapted to seat in the aperture in the reinforce plate 4. Acentrallapertured spinn' -nut 22 provided wit a rib 23 fits over either axle 21,its rib fitting the groove therein, providing a c0n venient means ofspinnin the wheel. A sleeve 24 is suitably fix on each leg 3 both aboveand below the disk 2 to securely hold it from wobbling.

In the modification at Fig. 9 I have shown a, disk which is inefi'ectpractically a tray provided with a double flan 26. Its purses andobjects will be ev'dznt and itwill clear that either or both disks maybe so 'rovided.

hile I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be understood that without departin from theessential spirit and scope ther or sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof, it is susceptible of various changes of construction andorganization.

The various uses to which the device may be putare practicallyillimitable; I shall, however, describe a few thereof. To teach a childthe letters of the alphabet, the teacher described. The arrow thereonwill point to be asked to tell its name. His interest is drawn to thegame, and the letter or numeral will become more quickly and definitelyfixed in his mind than by any other method known to me. If bothalphabets, t. e., the small letters and capitals are faced upward, afterthe pupil has correctly named the capital letter, he ma be required tofind the corresponding smal letter on the upper disk. The signs of thezodiac may be taught in the same manner. A multiplicity of games may betaught children, especially by a trained kindergurtncr. I f prizes areto be awarded, pegs 20 may be placed in selcc+ tive apertures 5, 6 or 7,the awards being made according to any predetermined lan or system,which may be as follows: P acement of a peg in a selective one of theseries 7 thereof p ays four letters or numerals, two on each side of thepeg. Should the needle stop at any position between the outer ones ofthese four, the (player havin pegged the same, wins, provi ing (in or erto induce study and to cultivate memory) he can name or call out theletters or numerals (or both) which he has pegged. Placin the peg in theseries of holes 6 pla s three litters or numerals, one on either side ofthe peg and the one pegged. To play two letters or numerals, place thepeg in the series 5, between two letters or numerals, and to playletter, it alone ma be pegged. The relationship of the ho es 5, 6, and 7with the letters and numerals, caused by the arrow and the pegs, alsoestablishes relationship between the numerals and letters on the largerand smaller disks respectively, inasmuch as both are indicated by thesame pegged aperture. The holes on that side of the disk where the signsof the zodiac a pear have no significance, and are there 0 y because itcould not be avoided. Again, one player can choose one-half of thewheel, and another the other half. Or several players may each choose a.color or division of the wheel. In some games it will be desired todetermine a loser, all others being out, the loser paying some penaltyor forfeit or being required to perform some act or ieat supposed atleast to be unpleasant to him.

Books of questions, answers and tables are furnished with each wheel.One page, or part of one page of each is illustrated at Figs. 6. 8 andI. respectively. To play the game of Questions, the players may proceedin the following manner: Let the one desiring to have a questionanswered select some question from the book thereof and reveal thenumber or index thereof to the person holding the book of tables, whichperson will thereupon spin the revoluble disk, and note the numeral atwhich the will spin the revoluble disk by the means i arrow or needlestops. The operator will then find the number of the question at the oneof the letters or numerals, and the child left hand side, it beingprinted in red or other conspicuous color. He will trace across fromleft to right until he comes to the number under the letter given by theone asking the question, which number will indicate the number of theanswer in the book of answers. He will then turn to said book, find thatnumber, and opposite the letter indicated by the arrow will be theanswer. For instance: Suppose question Number 5 is asked. Spin the wheeland suppose the needle to stop at V. Turn to said book of tables andfollow Number 5 across until column headed V is reached. The answer willbe found to be under some certuin uge number in the book of answers, andby searching thereon until V is found, the answer will be found on thatline. There is no limit to the number of questions and answers; the gametherefore never becomes old.

Having thus described the construction and operation of a preferredembodiment of my invention, and having illustrated it suiliciently toconvey to others the manner of 1ts embellishment and use, I claim as newand as my invention the following, to-witz 1. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a. stationary disk having printed or inscribed onit a circle containing radial divisions on both of its faces, each ofsaid divisions provided with a scale and with pictorial representations,there being apertures arranged in concentric circles near the border ofsaid disk, said apertures lying in unequal radial planes, said diskincluding supporting means on both its faces, and also including acentrally disposed hub which constitutes a bearing, and a smaller diskhaving a centrally disposed stub-axle pro jecting from each of its facesand revolubly mountable in said bearing, the last recited diskconcentric to and of smaller diameter than the stationary one, wherebythe aforesaid spaces, representations and apertures are visible andaccessible, and whereby pegs may be inserted in said apertures withoutinterfering with the revolution of the smaller disk, the latter havingimprinted on each of its faces an arrow to indicate some one of 2. Adevice of the character described comprising a reversible, stationary,embellished disk provided with a centrally disposed hub having anaperture extending entirely therethrough to form a bearing, and with anannular flange projecting both upwardly and downwardly to form a walledtray, and a. disk having acentrally disposed stub-axle projecting inboth directions and revolubly mountable in said bearing, the lastrecited disk being concentric to and of smaller diameter than thestationary disk, whereby objects positioned between the perimeter of thesmaller disk and the uppermost one of the aforesaid flanges will notinterfere with the rotation of said smaller disk, said revoluble disklying in a higher horizontal plane than the stationary disk.

3. A device of the character described comprising a reversiblestationary disk provided on one of its faces with an annular series ofnumerals arranged in proper scquencc, and provided on its reverse facewith the letters of the alphabet and a sequence of llllll'lOl'lllS,there being apertures in concentric circles near the border of saiddisk, said apertures lying in unequal radial planes, said disk includingsupporting means on both its faces and provided with a centrallydisposed hub constituting a bearing, and a disk having a centrallydisposed stub-axle projecting from each of its faces, said axlerevolubly mounted in said bearing, the last recited disk beingconcentric to and of smaller diameter than the stationary disk wherebythe aforesaid spaces, representations and apertures are visible, andwhereby pegs may be inserted in said apertures without interfering withthe revolution of the smaller disk, the latter having imprinted on eachof its faces an arrow to indicate some one of said pegs, in combinationwith a book of questions and answers, each of said questions and answersbeing indicated by an index number coinciding with one of the numeralson the stationary disk.

4. A device of the character described comprising a reversiblestationary disk provided with suitable embellishments on both of itsfaces, a centrally disposed reinforce plate or hub projecting bothupwardly and downwardly and provided with a bearing in I both of itsends, and a disk provided with a centrally disposed stub-axle extendingin both directions and revolubly seated in said bearing, the lastrecited disk being of smaller diameter than the one first recited in?)being supported thereabove by said 5. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a reversible stationary disk provided with suitableembellishments on both its faces, and with concentric series ofpegreceiving apertures near its border. said apertures lying innon-equal radial planes, :1 centrally disposed hub projecting bothupwardl and downwardly from said disk and provit ed with a bearing inboth its ends, and a disk provided with a centrally disposed stub-axleextending-in both directions and re\-'olubl v scalable in said bearing,the revoluble disk being imprinted on both of its faces with an arrowwhereby one of said peg-receiving apertures is indicated, and of lessdiameter than the one first recited, and supported thereabovc by saidhub.

Signed at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia this 18th day of October, 1909.

CHARLES E. FISHER. lVitnesses:

VJLSON Lvronu,

CLARENCE F. Gnonon.

